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A UK coroner has concluded that a “brilliant” British-Indian doctor died as a result of botched medical treatment and a lack of informed consent, following an inquest that spanned over two years. Professor Amit Patel, a renowned National Health Service (NHS) Consultant Haematologist based in Manchester and a member of the haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) National Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), tragically passed away in October 2021 after being admitted to hospital with suspected HLH.

The coroner’s ruling, released on Thursday, highlighted that a procedure called EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound) was carried out on Patel based on an incomplete presentation of his clinical case, a recommendation made by the national HLH MDT. The ruling noted that had all relevant information been available, the procedure would not have been recommended, and Patel would not have died. Moreover, he was not given the chance to provide informed consent for the procedure, further contributing to his death.

The inquest emphasized the mutual love between Patel and those who knew him, with the coroner acknowledging his brilliance both professionally and personally. The report mentioned Patel’s awareness of the life-threatening nature of HLH and his concerns about his health to his wife, general practitioner Shivani Tanna.

Coroner Zak Golombek noted that Patel, despite his medical expertise, was not treated like an ordinary patient and that his death was avoidable due to failures in his care. The Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has conducted a detailed investigation into Patel’s care, aiming to improve patient safety and care quality based on the lessons learned from this tragic incident.

Jane Eddleston, joint group chief medical officer for the trust, expressed the commitment to providing the best care possible and learning from this experience to enhance patient safety and experience.

Sources By Agencies